


Recovery

by Noctislucent (Baekhanded)



Series: The Adventures of Baby Noct and Umbra [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Kinda, Pryna is only mentioned, i guess, just a lil angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 11:14:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13165755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baekhanded/pseuds/Noctislucent
Summary: The days after his boy's been attacked





	Recovery

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brina452](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brina452/gifts).



After the attack on his boy. Umbra doesn’t leave Noctis’ side. He doesn’t let anyone near him. He’ll only stand for few, short visitations. Anyone but the King  can only stay for so long. Umbra doesn’t want anyone around his boy. Umbra doesn’t know  _ why  _ his boy won’t wake up, but he knows he’s trying. Noctis isn’t giving up, so Umbra won’t either. He’ll stand vigil until the day he no longer can. 

 

Umbra knows that everyone is only trying to help, but he growls them out anyway. Even though his boy isn’t awake, he knows he doesn’t want them around.

 

Umbra also knows about the little friend, helping his boy to come back to him. The small Astral always a friend. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. He doesn’t know how long it will take. But he will wait. He’d wait forever for his boy. 

 

Every day Umbra lays by him, sometimes in the bed, sometimes on the floor, but never too far away. Every day he will sit upright when someone comes in. Every day he will watch as the nurses and doctors check on his boy. Every day he will watch as the King comes in, looking more and more tired. Every day he will listen to the news, “He’s stable, we don’t know when he’ll wake up.” Every day he’ll watch the King sit by his son’s bed and hold his hand. Every day he will listen to the King read his son stories and fairytales. Every day he will watch the King grow more and more tired, he will see more and more light and hope leaving the King’s eyes. Every day he will stand vigil. 

 

Every night he will lay directly beside his boy. Every night he will nuzzle his hand, bigger than it was, but still so small. Every night he will give a soft whine and nudge his head under his boy’s hand. Every night he will fight the phantoms that plague his boy. Every night he will reassure his boy’s physical body that he is here, he is not alone, and he is waiting.    
  
  
~=~+~=~

 

This day when Umbra wakes up he can tell it will be different. He doesn’t know how he knows, but he knows. He wakes earlier than usual, still sleepy and becoming aware. It takes him only a second though to realize the reason he woke was to a small hand in his fur. The fingers twitching and trying to make a strong enough grip. His ears perked immediately and he looks to his boy. He sees his boy’s eyes, less shiny, less bright, but still his eyes. His tail starts wagging. 

 

“‘Mbra…” 

 

Umbra knew his boy was delicate. Umbra knew he had to reign it in. Umbra also knew his boy needed the comfort. So Umbra scooted up the bed and gave his boy Kisses. 

 

He knew his boy needed things. He knew he needed to go get the doctors and nurses, his Dad. Umbra also knew he needed to stay just a moment longer, to let his boy know that he made it, he’s safe and awake and  _ alive _ . 

 

Umbra waited until his boys eyes cleared a bit, until he knew that his boy knew that he was truly out of his dream and outside. The indicator Umbra gets is the caustic scent of fear and pain. Pain is only for the waking world.

 

“Mbra...wha..happnd??”   
  


His boy could barely speak, his voice so rough and weak. Umbra gently nudged his cold nose against his boys cheek, offering little in explanation.

 

“....ok….ge..dad..”

 

Umbra nods and carefully jumps from the bed to find the King. 

 

Umbra can’t find the King.

 

Umbra brings a nurse instead, they’re just as important. 

 

His boy tenses when he sees the nurse. Umbra doesn’t understand why. 

 

“Oh Prince Noctis! You’re awake!!” 

 

His boy flinches when she speaks. Umbra doesn’t understand but watches as his boy tries to shy away from her attempts to check on him. That just won’t do. Umbra will get rid of her for him and find who he wanted even if it takes a little longer.

 

Umbra bodily removes the nurse away from his boy, baring his teeth at her. She’s shocked, but Umbra thinks she understands.

 

“I’ll go find the doctor...and his Fath-I mean the King!” The nurse runs off, hopefully in pursuit of who she says. That means Umbra can go back to his boy. He does. He lays as close as he dares, close enough for his boy to put a hand in his fur. He does. His small hand spasms. His small hand is weak. But his small hand is alive. That’s what matters.

 

The nurse takes awhile. Too long in Umbra’s humble opinion. But she brings the King. and the Doctor. His boy tries to sit up, but cries out at the pain. Umbra tries to sooth him of his pain with kisses. His boy’s father King comes up to him quickly, settling him back down and running a tired hand through his son’s hair.

 

“Don’t move much Dear Noctis, you need to rest.” His father King is right. His boy needs to rest. Umbra doesn’t  _ want  _ his boy to sleep anymore, but Umbra knows he needs to. The sleeping he’s been in isn’t the good sleeping he used to have. 

 

His boy doesn’t say much, he just makes sounds. It seems father King understands the sounds. He keeps petting his boy. Umbra knows that’s good. Petting is good. His boy will like petting.

 

The King soothes his son while the Doctor runs his tests. Umbra watches them both. 

 

His boy is in bad condition. Umbra doesn’t know how to help him. The doctor says a wheelchair. His boy and father King look sad. 

 

_ It’s ok, I will wheel the chair.  _ Umbra will take care of his boy.

 

~=~+~=~

 

Days go by much the same. Umbra stands guard. The King leaves only if he must. His boy closes himself off more and more. Umbra doesn’t know how to help him. His boy’s hand never leaves his fur. 

 

It’s the third day in when something changes. Third Night. Everyone has already left, gone to sleep, left Umbra to protect his boy. Umbra is happy to. His boy seems more and more wary of the dark.

 

_ Its ok, nothing can hurt you, I’ll protect you.  _

 

His boy has been asleep for a couple of hours now. Umbra has never seen him so restless as he has become. His boy starts twitching and Umbra doesn’t know why. His brow furrows and his little hands make fists. He breaths in sharp and tosses his head to the other side. Umbra is on high alert, he needs to wake his boy up. 

 

He tries to nose at him. It doesn’t work.

 

He tries to lick him. It doesn’t work.

 

He paws at him.

 

He gives him a little push.

 

He barks.

 

Nothing works.

 

His boy only wakes up when the fear is too much and he screams himself awake. Umbra is right there to lick away the tears. His boy holds tight to his neck, crying into his fur. 

 

Many nights pass the same. 

 

~=~+~=~

 

Things don’t change much when his boy gets his wheelchair. His boy is so closed off now. He won't even talk to Umbra sometimes. His boy won’t talk to the Little Princess, or the Big Queen, or the Big Prince. His boy won’t even talk to Umbra’s sister. Umbra doesn’t know how to help him.

 

The Little Princess doesn’t seem to mind that his boy won’t talk with her. She will still happily wheel him through the halls of her home, explaining paintings and telling stories. She will take him to the gardens and tell him things about the flowers. She will sit with him and read him stories from books. She’s kind and patient with his boy. Umbra likes her. Umbra likes getting to be with his sister too.

 

~=~+~=~

 

Days after the Little Princess has taken on his boy, she gets his boy to crack a small, barely there smile. Umbras tail wags and his ears perk up. The Little Princess is telling his boy a story about a pretty blue flower. She put one in his hair and another in his hands. 

 

“I know it must seem hopeless. After all that has happened. But you mustn't give up hope. You do not have to trust me. But Umbra is here for you. I will be here, I will not give up on you.” 

 

His boy looked at her with the most emotion Umbra has seen in him in days. If anyone can get through to his boy, it’s the Little Princess. 

 

The more meetings his boy has with the Little Princess, the more open he seems. He’s still quiet. Umbra thinks that’s just how he will be from now on. Umbra doesn’t mind. His boy engages a bit with the stories and explanations. The Little Princess is more than happy to elaborate. 

 

The room has pretty blue flowers all over it now. 

 

The Little Princess made them matching crowns with them. 

 

She made them for Umbra and Pryna too.

 

~=~+~=~

 

Sometimes, his boy just wasn’t up for being with the Little Princess. Sometimes his boy needed to be alone. Sometimes a boy just needed his dog. 

 

On those days his boy would just sit in his wheelchair on the balcony or patio, in the garden or in the library and stare blankly at a wall or a book in his hand or pick at a blanket’s loose strings. Every time he would have a hand in Umbra’s fur. 

 

The nights when his boy doesn’t interact with the Little Princess are always the hardest.

 

His boy always wakes up crying. Barely breathing. Moving how he shouldn’t to hold Umbra close. Umbra tries to lessen the strain, but his boy won’t have it. His boy will apologize until he tires and sleeps again, still holding Umbra. When he wakes he will want to see the Little Princess. There’s always a new flower on these days.

 

~=~+~=~

 

His boy is getting better. He can stand now. And walk. A little. He holds onto Umbra tightly. He even lets Pryna help him now. Sometimes, after a bad day, he lets the Little Princess help. She tells him tales while she does. 

 

~=~+~=~

 

His boy is getting stronger. He can stand for longer now. His legs don’t shake as much anymore. He smiles at the Little Princess now. Rare though it may be. He lets Pryna nap on him. He makes an effort to talk to the Big Queen and Big Prince. He’s laughing now. He still has nightmares. But now he talks.

 

There is still a long way to go, but, for now…

 

Umbra is proud of his boy. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
